cranberry lime pie

Although I was born in New York, I’ve grown up in the south for most of my life; but I did return to my parent’s alma mater for both my undergraduate and my graduate studies up in Western New York. Yep, there is more to New York than “The City,” so I always have to be quick to clarify when describing where I went to school. Houghton is a small town, smaller than a town really, about 7 hours away from “The City.” There are cows, rolling hills, and waterfalls–some of the most glorious landscapes in the country.

Fall there is stunning, with the most beautiful colors you have ever seen; but the real beauty is after the first blanket of snow covers the earth and everything is silent. We don’t have anything close to that kind of snow down here in Memphis. I’ve always longed for a white Christmas, and now I think that someday I’ll be able to experience that with my wonderful in-laws in NY.

I asked my husband (of Greek and Finnish descent) what food and drinks he thinks of when I say “snow,” and he responded with hot cocoa, gingerbread cookies, apple cider, marzipan, ham, and fish. Something probably very far from his list is key lime pie. Believe me, I don’t associate this with snow or Christmas at all either; but when this traditional, Southern classic is infused and mixed with cranberries, the story changes.

my lovely assistant helping me beat in the butter. a very important step!:)

This recipe for cranberry lime pie comes from the Thanksgiving issue of bon appetit. The festive, vibrant colors are undeniably eye catching, and the flavors are striking. It has all of the elements of the holiday season that you didn’t know could be in a key lime pie — bright colors, cranberries, gingersnaps and pecans (in the crust). **Replace regular gingersnaps for ones that are gluten-free to make this pie gluten-free!** The tanginess of the curd provides an excellent balance to the often heavy, nutty, and pumpkin desserts that are usually found on our holiday spreads. I love all of those other desserts too, but sometimes you need a little extra zest in your life.